This invention relates generally to portable lighting products and more specifically to a lantern or similar hand-held light.
Conventional battery-powered, portable lanterns such as an Eveready.RTM. brand 321 lantern, generally include a handle supporting a swiveling lamp at one end and a colored signal lamp at an opposite end. Both lamps are typically powered by a battery containing eight No. 60 (size "F") cells in series. In some instances, a battery is enclosed within a case which also provides the base for the lantern. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,861,174. In other designs, such as the 321 lantern, the lantern handle is attached directly to the battery through the battery terminals extending from the top of the battery. The casing of the battery itself provides the base for the lantern.
Although the battery provides a powerful and portable power source for the lantern, the batteries become discharged over time and cannot power the lamp when needed. Another disadvantage is that the batteries are quite heavy, making it uncomfortable to hold over a period of time. A further disadvantage of such systems is that the battery casing can break open and leak, resulting in burns and stains to persons and property.
Trouble lights have been designed for use specifically with vehicles. The light sources are conventionally plugged into the cigarette lighter receptacle to be powered by the vehicle battery or power system. Such lamps often have a lamp fastened to a pistol grip or straight handle. The electric cord interconnecting the light to the cigarette lighter receptacle simply hangs loose and is stored by winding the cord into a coil. Although not dependant upon a separate power source (which may leak) and lighter in weight than conventional battery-powered lanterns, such lamps are difficult to rest on a surface with the beam directed at a particular spot. Furthermore, because the cords hang free, they often become entangled with themselves and with other equipment in the storage area of the vehicle.